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New + Noteworthy
New Opening: Greyhound Cafe | 26.10.2011
A weekend in Bangkok - shopping, spa, food, and booze - is the best remedy to a long week in the office. Hong Kongers love the Thai capital, and there are a few restaurants that all regular visitors are familiar with. One of them is Greyhound Cafe at Emporium Shopping Centre. The contemporary, quirk...
Yardbird | 07.09.2011
Dining at Yardbird, the hottest addition to the yakitori scene in town, reminds me that I'm no spring chicken anymore. I was irked by the no reservation policy, the noisy atmosphere - that's what you party animals call "a happening scene" - and the fact that it is tucked away in the Sheung Wan end o...
New + Noteworthy - Loyal Dining | 10.08.2011
Loyal Dining has a prime location -- four stories from the ground up (the top floor is the kitchen). Yet instead of packed with a hundred diners at the same time, tables are loosely placed and surrounded by spacious comfortable booths under dim lighting, much like a restaurant set pulled straight fr...
New + Noteworthy - Above & Beyond | 27.07.2011
When I first heard a restaurant named “Above and Beyond”, all I could envision was a restaurant with a full panoramic view of the Victoria Harbour, with a strip of shimmering fluorescent lights when night falls. Experiencing the view from the top, I realize there is much to brag about when it comes...
New + Noteworthy - Bettys Kitschen | 13.07.2011
Harlan (the chef) left, followed by Harlan’s (the restaurant). Ever since the Harlan gang moved out of ifc, there had been rumours about which restaurant would take over the space. There were big, international names flying around. When it was revealed that London restaurateur Alan Yau would mark hi...
Al Molo | 21.06.2011
The newly-opened Al Molo at Ocean Terminal is a collaboration between Dining Concepts and the acclaimed New York chef Michael White, one of the nominees of the James Beard Best Chef Award in 2011. Let's see what he has in store for Hong Kong....
Tosca | 25.05.2011
Vittorio Lucariello, chef de cuisine of Tosca, fairly or not, has some big shoes to fill. This is not because he is heading up one of the premier restaurants in the newly-opened Ritz Carlton Hong Kong - the highest hotel in the world. It is not because he has to work with the challenges of an open k...
Grand Hyatt Steakhouse | 27.04.2011
The classic steak house is a basic restaurant concept that when done right is pretty much guaranteed to be a success. There is a steak house formula, a formula that is followed time and again throughout the world for good reason, it works. The ultimate key to the success will of course be the steak...
La Marmite | 14.04.2011
One of last year's restaurant trends in Hong Kong was New York Italian restaurants, with several opening in a short period of time. So far this year, the French bistro is the current emerging trend. Entering the SoHo neighbourhood recently was Bouchon Bistro Francais, followed closely, both in terms...
Bouchon Bistro Francais | 23.02.2011
Rising like a phoenix from the ashes of Ocean Grill is Bouchon Bistro Francais, an intimate restaurant serving classic French bistro fare. It is the latest opening from Dining Concepts and makes a refreshing addition to the group's portfolio, which is heavily focused around beef....
GOLD by Harlan Goldstein | 22.12.2010
As individuals our identities are important. None of us would like to experience identity fraud, and the associated stress and potential damage to reputation that results. In the culinary world chefs often try to secure their identity by naming a restaurant after themselves, especially if they alrea...
Tango | 07.12.2010
I have never been to Argentina and I have little experience with its cuisine. Like many, I know that it has European influences, that its beef is considered world class, and that its wines can be sublime. After my visit to Tango I feel that I know more. Some knowledge came the hard way, and some fro...
Shore | 26.10.2010
One thing that I am sure about, recent opening Shore has left me unsure. I am unsure as to why the two meals I had were poles apart. One meal had me concluding that the best thing about the evening was the double espresso. The second visit I thought I was eating in a different restaurant. The first...
Lily & BLOOM | 14.10.2010
If I was going to write a recipe for a successful restaurant in Hong Kong it would include: money and lots of it, a sexy interior that is ideally the work of a known design company, the right location, and professional staff. Many new openings in Hong Kong get that part of it right. Surprisingly wha...
Wooloomooloo Prime | 04.10.2010
Wooloomooloo, the Aussie steakhouse just unveiled its sixth restaurant and most outstanding flagship in the heart of Kowloon. Wooloomooloo Prime is the newest and grandest premiere branch from the Wooloomooloo Group. They’re taking things to new heights, literally....
Zenku | 22.09.2010
There are certain terms used to describe food that always ring alarm bells for me, for example "playful". What does this really mean? It could mean that the food will make you smile, it will invoke childhood memories, and will be supported by enjoyable flavours and textures. Or, it could mean a gast...
New Opening - Prime Steak House | Wine Bar | 24.08.2010
When you're onto a good thing stick with it, is one expression that restaurant group Dining Concepts seems to have adopted. The success of its recent openings Bistecca and Blue Smoke Bar-B-Que demonstrates that many diners in Hong Kong love sinking their teeth into meat....
New Opening - Blue Smoke Bar-B-Que | 05.07.2010
My dining companion jokingly said that restaurant group, Dining Concepts, should change its name to Meat Concepts, he has a point. Lately each restaurant that the group opens has been meat centric, for example BLT Steak, BLT Burger, and Bistecca. The group's most recent opening is Blue Smoke Bar-B-Q...
New Opening - Nanhai No1 | 11.06.2010
Nanhai No1 is the latest restaurant from the Elite Concepts restaurant group. According to the restaurant's fact sheet it serves contemporary Chinese cuisine, although I would add with some Asian influences. I had read one or two positive reviews of the restaurant before having dinner and after my m...
New Opening - Alfie's by KEE | 17.05.2010
First impressions are important and people do make decisions (rightly or not) based on them. My first impression of Alfie's by KEE was that it was smaller than expected and certainly smaller than the photos I had seen portray. My second impression was, it was too noisy for a restaurant, having to sh...
New Opening - Ayuthaiya | 10.05.2010
I place Thai food in my top five favourite cuisines, and normally after I eat good Thai food I want to call a travel agent and book the first flight to the Land of Smiles. My recent dinner at new opening Ayuthaiya (the latest offering from the Aqua Restaurant Group) did not leave me with that feelin...
New Opening - Rocksalt | 10.03.2010
Rocksalt on Stanley Market Street Promenade is the newest venture by Chiram Strategic Group. Inspired by the beach area, the restaurant serves the freshest and finest seafood from around the world in a clean, modern and contemporary setting. The wine list has a full selection of best quality wine fr...
BLT Burger | 10.02.2010
I love a good burger, and I don't mean the type that passes for a burger at the leading fast-food chains, I mean a real burger. A burger that is almost too big to bite into, with a juicy, tasty filling, using quality ingredients, made with TLC....
The French Window | 13.01.2010
With the opening of The French Window, The Miramar Group has created a new landmark culinary destination for Hong Kong. Inspired by a French chateau, the stunning decor and creative entrance will literally transport you to another world. A world of elegance, a world of style, a world of sophisticate...
Cuisine Cuisine at The Mira | 11.11.2009
Traditional and contemporary Cantonese cuisine prepared by award-winning chefs awaits the discerning diner at the recently opened Cuisine Cuisine at The Mira. Set against elegant décor and lubricated by some of the world's finest wines, Cuisine Cuisine at The Mira is a unique, remarkably modern dini...
WHISK | 11.11.2009
“WHISK serves simple luxury food, a menu people can understand,” notes chef Justin Quek, the master chef from Singapore explaining the concept behind the latest addition to revamped lifestyle hotel, The Mira Hong Kong. Adding, "WHISK is a hotel restaurant. It serves reasonably priced luxury dining f...
Bistecca Italian Steak House | 07.10.2009
A counter with a glass front displays thick cut t-bones, multiple butcher's meat hooks dangle above. To their right large cleavers adorn the wall. To the left an extensive refrigeration system with glass doors contains raw meat of many varieties. Bowls of vegetables add colour to the scene. The staf...
Duetto | 07.10.2009
Duetto Restaurant presents the best of both worlds by offering two time-honoured cuisines: The flair of southern Europe and the passion of the East; stylish Italian and vibrant Indian. An exciting new addition to the Hong Kong culinary scene, Duetto is a subtle mix of modern and contemporary design...
New Opening - Cafe Iguana | 12.08.2009
I have not been to Mexico and I do wonder what authentic Mexican food tastes like. My experiences at Mexican restaurants in the past have always left me wondering if I like the cuisine, it certainly has never been in my list of top five favourites. The jury however, had always remained silent on jud...
New Opening - RED SoHo | 12.08.2009
A chic New York-Style restaurant and bar has transformed the SoHo landscape and social scene. Bustling since it opened in early July, RED SoHo extends Pure Dining's infectious philosophy of "Work Hard, Play Hard" to the other side of Central. It has quickly become a hip hotspot to eat, drink, see an...
Sha Tin 18 | 08.07.2009
Sha Tin 18 is one of those new places you just have to make it to – as a foodie, tycoon or just a casual diner, this is one place that will not bust your wallet. Majestic Chinese doors open to the unique Oriental experience, as developed on the Beijing open kitchen model. The kitchen itself is spli...
BOX Thai | 12.05.2009
Recently opened Box Thai, is a welcome addition to the Central dining scene, especially if you are fan of Thai food. The casual dining space serves food that ticks all the boxes: the flavours are authentic, interesting choices, and some of the best value-for-money food in the area. Box Thai is th...
New Opening - The Drawing Room | 20.04.2009
Being one of the lucky ones to be invited to try contemporary Italian restaurant, The Drawing Room, on the first night of its trial week, I was, actually, expecting chaos. I was forewarned by one of the owners, Jeffrey, a 2008 Cornell hotel school graduate, whom I have known for many years, that it...
New Opening - La Luna | 15.04.2009
Spanish restaurant, La Luna, has been busy since it first opened in late February. Why? As I discovered, it's because of the food. Admittedly, many restaurants in Hong Kong are busy in the first month of opening as the city's dedicated gourmands and general punters give a new place a try. While I am...
New Opening - BLT Steak | 11.02.2009
BLT Steak opened mid January in Ocean Terminal and is the first international venture for French chef Laurent Tourondel, whose branches of a modern American steakhouse have proved a hit in the US, which has lead to BLT Fish, BLT Market and BLT Burger. BLT is not in this case short for bacon lettuce...
New Opening – El Pomposo | 10.11.2008
I love the idea of tapas, all those small dishes of delectable delights allowing the diner to try lots of different dishes and flavours. I was therefore excited about having dinner at El Pomposo....
Noteworthy – Cecconi’s | 10.11.2008
A refreshing addition to the dining scene is Cecconi’s Cantina in Elgin Street. Cecconi’s serves traditional Italian cuisine, with dishes changing inline with the seasons to ensure that produce is of premium quality. The menu has been designed by consultant chef, Harry Lilai, his signature restauran...
New Opening – Roka Hong Kong | 10.11.2008
The opening of Roka Hong Kong follows the opening of Roka in Macau, Scottsdale, and the first and award-winning restaurant in London. Roka is owned by the same team behind Zuma....
New or Noteworthy – Loong Yuen Cantonese Restaurant | 10.11.2008
It is increasingly common to see organic choices on the menu at many of Hong Kong’s leading restaurants that serve western cuisine. What’s not common is organic options on the menus of Chinese restaurants, until now....
New Opening – Ocean Grill | 10.11.2008
I am a big seafood lover and a fan of the simplicity of grilled fresh fish, for me there is almost nothing better. In addition to the flavour, I enjoy grilled fish because for it to be a pleasantly memorable meal the fish has to be of good quality and uber fresh. I was therefore happy to learn about...
Noteworthy – Naturally Peninsula | 10.11.2008
Health and wellness is becoming more important to the masses as people realise that eating healthy food makes them feel good and does reduce the risk of disease....
Noteworthy – Decadent lunching at Caprice | 10.11.2008
If you are one of the lucky few that does not need to work, or if you are fortunate enough to be able to enjoy an ultra-long, decadent lunch then I would recommend you head to Caprice at The Four Seasons hotel....
New Opening – Megu | 10.11.2008
Megu is the latest hip and cool Japanese restaurant to open in Hong Kong. Offering modern Japanese cuisine it stands out from the crowd due to its uber fresh sashimi and use of rare or unusual ingredients....
New Opening – Malouf’s Arabesque Cuisine | 10.11.2008
Renowned Australian chef and author Greg Malouf has once again teamed up with restaurant group Dining Concepts with the opening of Malouf’s Arabesque Cuisine....
New Opening – The Watermark | 01.10.2008
The initial thought that will come to mind when you see Watermark for the first time is “wow”, or “breathtaking” or “stunning”. Located on top of the Star Ferry pier, this latest offering from the Igor's Group has a dramatic entrance, unlike any other restaurant in Hong Kong. In fact, the restaurant...